The Demon King's heir
4 - XIU HUAN III
Xiu Huan woke up inside a room filled with candlelight. He stared at the ceiling made of wood and bamboo and, the sound of the wind clearly sounded like it was blowing in his ears.
”You're aware?” ask a woman who is sitting on the chair next to her bed.
Xiu Huan immediately turned his head towards this woman and watched her for a while. Sure enough, this woman was Yi Qingqi who had been taking care of him for these few days. He must have come straight after Zhou Luan said what happened to Xiu Huan when he had just descended the mountain. And fortunately, Xiu Huan did not throw him out and instead let him follow him. However, if he were to throw it away, it was possible that he would be eaten by the beasts immediately after they smelled the scent of blood on his clothes.
”I feel like I'm dead.” Xiu Huan said in a quiet voice.
Yi Qingqi touched the palm of Xiu Huan who was on top of her blanket and said, ”Sorry, I was late in saying it. I didn't know that your Master was the seventh Demon King. The golden tree did not tell me from the start and gave Zhou Luan a bad premonition to follow you. He told me everything including how the devil ate your heart."
Xiu Huan was speechless with his expressionless face. Both of his eyes look black and swollen and his eyes look cloudy. ”... It's my fault for asking the wrong person for help. Maybe it would be better if I became a thief.” he said while distracting him.
”I'm sure you'll find someone who needs you. The golden tree said, in a few more months, come to Xieyu hill. There is someone who desperately needs you to be his protector. His soul still felt holy and had not been touched by the evil force. You must come if you want to realize your wish."
***
A few months later, Xiu Huan decided to go visit the Xieyu hill which he had long abandoned. The hill is still the same since long ago only there is a small village built there. There are so many people doing their daily activities. However, he felt that this time was not the right time to visit the village. He continued walking forward up the quiet Xieyu hill.
Night arrived and darkness instantly swept through his vision. His steps suddenly stopped in front of a dead body of a man who had slit his own throat. Plus, he killed himself in front of a tomb called Rui.
”Why is this guy so easy to kill himself? Has he never appreciated his own life?” muttered Xiu Huan while closing the eyes of the male corpse there. ”... I have to bury it now before it rots.”
Xiu Huan took out a hoe and began to dig the ground right next to the tomb. However, just as he was about to do so, suddenly there was a boy who was hugging him from behind making his movements freeze.
”Sister! Save me!” the boy shouted after he was chased by dozens of starving wolves behind him.
”This child?! Eve was just like that demon. But, why do I feel something different from him?” inner Xiu Huan who was watching him for a while. He felt that this child felt the same way as him. He might not have known that this child was Shin Furong who had just lost his entire family.
***
Until one year, he discovered a plague caused by Shin Furong!
Once he found out that Shin Furong was currently in the Houyuan mountain range, Xiu Huan immediately went there to confirm his condition. And the moment he got there, Xiu Huan felt extremely shocked when he saw Shin Furong being injured so badly that it made his spiritual power deviate and result in many people.
Back then, Shin Furong who had studied with a priestess Yi Qingqi for many years was attacked by the fourth Demon King A-Ling who considered the existence of a priest a threat to the demon realm. That brief fight successfully killed Yi Qingqi and his son Zhou Luan. Meanwhile, Shin Furong experienced a deviation of spiritual energy which had severe repercussions on everyone. Unintentionally, his power turned into a disaster that made the plague spread all over the place.
”If everyone knew that all this was caused by him, they would definitely kill him immediately.” Inner Xiu Huan who directly examined him for a while. ”... The only way out of this is to kill him. But I don't want to do it. It is better to seal a part of its power and inhibit the plague from spreading faster.”
Xiu Huan showed both of his fingers which gave off a red glow then, placed them on the chest over Shin Furong.
Shin Furong would probably never know that Xiu Huan was already holding back his spiritual power. But he did this for his own good. ”... I shouldn't have left you sooner than I should have. It's possible that disaster won't come like this."
***
Xiu Huan disappeared for hundreds of years. And in the 700th year, he reappeared as an advisor to the Qin Palace which was the strongest palace in his territory. Xiu Huan divulged the secret regarding Shin Furong's blood and flesh that was so efficacious as to treat various diseases.
The entire mightiest army had been deployed to attack Xieyu Hill along with Xiu Huan escorting their way.
”Already expected, everything will go according to plan.” Inner Xiu Huan after seeing the entire Qin Palace army killed by Shin Yixuan. Plus, plus, he also knew that Guju had come to the Qin court and destroyed everyone there, including their Emperor, who had starved his own people and sentenced anyone to death.
CRANG!!
”No! What the fuck? Where's he from?!” inner Xiu Huan looked surprised after seeing a young man full of wounds who had broken Shin Furong's staff of priests to make him meet death.
”This is all my fault! Absolutely wrong! I just didn't want anyone to threaten her but, she ended up like this. Do I have to catch up with him after this?” his inner. ”... Ahh, I think I should catch up with him soon. Anyway, it's all my fault and I guess, sorry it's not enough to make up for it.”
Right in front of the golden tree and right in front of the tombs of Yi Qingqi and Zhou Luan, Xiu Huan decided to end his long-standing life.